MRI Scan

I had a bit of a panic this morning. The letter advising me of my MRI scan appointment asked me to confirm the appointment as soon as possible and I'd forgotten to do so. Thus, ten minutes before I had planned to leave for the appointment I was hanging on the 'phone listening to a message thanking me for calling and telling me I'd be put through to someone as soon as they were available. I was getting twitchier by the minute. At last I did get through and the appointment was confirmed. Whew! So off I set on my bike.

When I got to the scanning department, a BUPA facility set up in the hospital that provides services to the NHS as well as private patients, I was asked to fill in a questionnaire designed to check whether I have any metal in my body or had any recent medical procedures that need to be taken into account. I was able to reply "No" to all of them.

When they were ready for me I had to strip to underwear and socks and put on a disposable gown, again to ensure no stray metal. The radiologist went through the questionnaire with me again and then we were off. I'd been told these scanners are noisy but I was not quite expecting the intensity of the noise. This despite wearing headphones playing a local radio station. The radio was in audible whilst the scanner was active. Probably a bit like being in a thick walled metal box with demented smiths hammering on the outside with the sound of miss-tuned radios added for good measure. Fortunately the procedure only lasted about 25 minutes with the longest spell being about 15 minutes.

I'm looking forward to seeing the consultant again to get the results of the various tests. I'll be disappointed if it is later than next week.